site.btaModern Trade Has Significant Labour Contribution to Country's Economy, Says Association for Modern Trade

Modern trade has a significant labor contribution to the country's economy, the Association for Modern Trade (AMT) noted on the occasion of May 1, International Workers’ Day.

AMT unites some of the largest retail chains with over 1,000 retail outlets and nearly 23,000 employees throughout the country. The members of the Association are companies in the field of trade in fast-moving consumer goods, health care products, drugstore and pharmaceutical products, construction materials and equipment, fuels.

According to the AMT data, employees in large food and non-food chains receive over BGN 1.5 billion gross labour income, which is 2.5% of all labour income of employees in the country. Last year, the number of employees in modern trade reached over 55,000 people. Every fourth person employed in retail works in modern trade companies.

The AMT pointed out that the expansion and opening of new sites and investments in logistics have led to new jobs in recent years and reported that after the pandemic, large food and non-food chains have created nearly 10,000 new jobs. In 2024, the average gross monthly salary of those employed in modern trade reached BGN 2,400. The staff of modern trade companies receive over 50% higher salaries than the average for retail trade in the country, the AMT said.

The Association also added that the investments of large chains and the efficiency of processes lead to significantly higher labour productivity, 4-5 times higher in modern trade than in micro enterprises in the sector, including mass neighborhood stores.